


Briar was definitely third-wheeling

by Spill1ngardans



Series: Tuebor - original Victorian AU [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Attempt at Humor, F/F, Frenemies, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Period-Typical Homophobia, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26883454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spill1ngardans/pseuds/Spill1ngardans
Summary: Briar sometimes wonders if there's something more between the two young ladies.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Series: Tuebor - original Victorian AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1968661





	Briar was definitely third-wheeling

“Briar is coming over today, right?” Florence inquires as she’s sipping her morning earl gray tea.

  
“yeah.” Adelaide grumbles on the sofa, her chin in her right hand.

  
The redhead chuckles. “Why do you invite them over when you continuously claim to hate them?”

  
The brunette ponders for a bit and then answers, she's not really sure either, really. “Eh... they're  
entertaining, I guess. Don't get me wrong, i hate their guts, but it's fun when they don't act like an  
asshole, which is rare, but still.”

  
Florence hums. “Just don't destroy the parlour and don't get hurt, okay?” she knows her warnings  
are useless and that she will probably have to split the two while they're arguing and hitting each  
other over a poker match, but it’s fun, she admits.

  
The Clarks' household had always been silent when she was a child: her father always locked himself  
in his room dealing with prices and products, her mother in the living room reading science books.  
Little Florence would never dare to disturb her parents and so she just sat in silence in her room,  
sometimes sewing, sometimes picking up a book but never reading it until the end, really. When  
Adelaide came into the the picture though, everything changed: suddenly, the household was filled  
with playful screaming, laughter, heels knocking on the velvety wooden floor, unbearable tunes  
played on the piano, so violently that sometimes she really feared a key would pop out. The silent  
household felt warmer all of a sudden, it felt like home.

  
Both her and Adelaide's attention diverts to the entrance as she hears the tintinnabulation of the  
bell at the door sill, meaning that Briar must be here. Florence and Briar have never been really  
close, they tend to exchange some words of common courtesy or small talk; the redhead is shy and  
Briar is more interested in destroying the brunette's pride at any game they are playing, but the  
petite girl can tell that they're not a bad person: as far as she's seen, Briar is charismatic, witty, and  
above all, a creative mind. She had the chance to get glimpses of their drawings and have a look at  
their manuscripts, deeply appreciating them.

  
( _“Can i have the honour of drawing a portrait of you, miss Clark?”_

  
_Florence blushes. She has always been self-conscious of her appearance, both because of the various_   
_insults addressed to her since her childhood and the awareness of not meeting the Victorian beauty_   
_standards._

  
_“wh- of me?” she manages to ask, incredulous._

  
_Briar looks at her unimpressed. “of course! I think you're extremely pretty, and i admire anyone who_   
_goes against the rules of society.” They show a reassuring smile at the end._

  
_“Well, if you're su-" her words get cut off by someone flying from the side of the garden and landing_   
_a kick right on Briar's face, who collapses with a choked scream._

  
_“Oi! What do you think you're doing, you ratbag? Stop courting Florence!” And that's how Adelaide_   
_makes her presence known._

  
_Briar laughs, even though their face hurts like hell. “You sound and act like her husband sometimes, i_   
_swear.”_

  
_Both girls blush at the thought and no one brings up the subject again._ )

  
Florence reaches the etch pine door and opens it, revealing Briar with a courteous smile on their  
face.

  
“Briar, thank you for coming.” The redhead greets them, without bowing, just like Briar doesn't take  
their top hat off.

  
Spending time with Adelaide and, consequently with Briar, taught Florence a lot about social norms,  
and soon she started to realize how most of them are utterly ridiculous. That's why they don't bow,  
that's why every time the brunette and the tow-headed doctor meet, the first thing they do is  
not saying “hello", but instead screaming _ratbag_ and _foozler_ at each other.

  
“Miss Clark, thank you for having me.” Their voice is croaky, and Florence proceeds to ask what’s  
wrong, she's nothing if not polite.

  
“Are you... okay? Did something occur?”

  
Their next words are filled with laughter; Florence might not be as witty as her girlfriend and their  
guest, but even she can see that it's a bitter kind of laughter, the doctor's eyes are not smiling,  
they're _aching_.

  
“Nothing, really. Just the usual bigots calling me names, i'm used to it by now.”

  
Florence has always admired Briar for their courage of being true to themselves and showing  
themselves in public, something that Adelaide and she have not yet been able to do.

  
Their conversation is interrupted by said brunette marching towards the entrance with a displeased  
expression.

  
“oi, ratbag, i heard the door opening, what’s taking you so long?! Are you courting Florence again or  
what” but her words die in her mouth when she sees the hurt expression on Briar’s face. Her voice  
gets a bit more soothing. “what happened? I might detest your smirk but this is even worse. What’s  
wrong?”

  
Briar tries to get away with a chuckle. “What, foozler? Are you worried about me?”

  
But Adelaide is not having it, she knows Briar is lying and that something has definitely happened.

  
“don’t give me that fake plummy voice, it doesn't suit you.” Her voice gets lower, meaning that she’s  
determined to get at the bottom of this. Florence softens at the thought of the two being like cat  
and dog, but actually caring about teach other.

  
“I suggest you tell me what's wrong right now, or i'm gonna have to find out myself.”  
Florence puts a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down.

  
“Briar, Adelaide is right. Maybe we can help.” She sends a reassuring smile to the doctor and leads  
them to the parlour. “I'm gonna fetch some tea and biscuits, you two can talk in the meantime.”

  
“so?” Adelaide spreads her arms at the back of the couch and arches a eyebrow.

  
“I can't believe i'm talking about my personal issues with my archenemy, but anyway...” they stop  
for a moment before continuing. “some people were insulting me, calling me names, saying that i'm  
abnormal, and i should be confined somewhere.” Their voice is brittle, Adelaide can see they're  
trying hard not to cry, and that's when she makes her decision.

  
“give me their names.” She says, determined.

  
Briar looks at her with a puzzled expression. “huh?”

  
“I said, give me their names. I might hate your guts, but disrespecting your _own person_? Your  
 _identity_? I won't let them get away with it.”

  
Briar starts panicking and gets up, trying to stop the murderous rampage that's playing in Adelaide's  
mind as they speak. “wait, wait, wait, Wood. Don't you think- that's too much?!”

  
Adelaide doesn't budge “Listen, i'm not doing it for you, _specifically_. I just hate these entitled  
bastards.”

  
In the meantime Florence rejoins them and, just by looking at the scene, she can guess that Adelaide  
has suggested something not ethically correct and socially unacceptable. The brunette turns her  
head and as soon as she sees Florence, her eyes are no longer filled with revenge, instead they're  
throbbing with fondness.

  
Briar sometimes wonders if there's something more between the two young ladies.

  
“Adelaide! Why is Briar standing up and they look like they're about to faint?” Florence’s voice is  
filled with worry and really, she knows she shouldn’t have asked, but she never learns apparently.  
Adelaide illustrates her plan and she’s met with two pair of judging eyes.

  
“Dea- Adelaide" Florence starts, trying to persuade her girlfriend “you can't... beat them to death,  
okay? You're absolutely right, they should shut their mouth about someone else's life, but please,  
let's find another way?”

  
“But i'm _fuming_ " Adelaide crosses her arms on her chest, folding the flowy shirt.

  
Briar doesn't know what to say, they feel like they shouldn't pry in this conversation, and so they  
don't.

  
Florence can't stand the sight of her sulking girlfriend, and the next words leave her mouth before  
she can think it through.

  
“Only one punch.”

  
Two pair of eyes are glued on her like she's not a creature of this world. 

  
“What?” Adelaide's voice is hopeful and expectant.

  
The redhead sighs

  
_I’m too soft for this beanpole at this point huh_

  
“I said, just one punch, per person.” She facepalms realizing the consequences of her words, but it's  
too late to take them back.

  
Adelaide jumps from the sofa and looks at her as if she's won the lottery.

  
“Florence? Is it really you?” her chirpy voice is finally back.

  
“As you said... you hate these entitled b- _bastards_ , and i feel the same... so, let's make them suffer,  
but not too much, okay?”

  
The brunette is ecstatic, she lifts the smaller girl from the couch and spins her around, Briar's  
presence long forgotten. “i'm so proud of you Florence!” she wipes away some fake tears.

  
Briar is sure of two things after this visit.

  
1\. _Miss Clark is a saint_  
2\. _They were definitely third-wheeling_


End file.
